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MA MEMORIES: 



PERSOML EXPERIENCES IN THE U. S. NAVT 
IN PEACE AND WAR. 



BY AN OLD SALT. 



SEA MEMORIES; 



OR, 



PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE U.S. 'NAVY 
IN PEACE AND WAR. 



BY AN OLD SALT. 



DEDICATED TO 



STj^e ©fHcers anti $ail0rs of tfje Jleiican TOar, 



James D. Bruell, Biddeford Pool^ Me. 




PART OF WHICH HE SAW, AND PART HE WAS. 




Biddeford Pool: 
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 

1886. 






4 



INTRODUCTION 



ca- 



AFTER a lapse of more than forty years since 
I first commenced sea-life, and, with no guide 
but memory to aid me, the story of my life on ship- 

^•y board must, of course, be lacking in many partic- 

ulars ; yet, with the incidents firmly fixed in my 

^ mind, I can recall the most of them in the order of 

their occurrence. Although a man of more than 
sixty years, the events that I have related in my 
book come as freshly before me as if they had 
happened but yesterday, many sulphurous with the 
smoke of war, and others relating to companionships 
that were pleasant, 'mid scenes of more quiet 
import. The Mexican war, of which so little is 
now known, forms the main feature of the work, 
some of the leading events of which the writer 
participated in, on sea and shore, and was an inter- 
ested spectator of others. The facts I have given 
without exaggeration, and told them in a style as 
nearly flavoring of salt-water as I could, without 



INTRODUCTION. 



rhetorical flourishes or any aim to set off the truth 
with artificial coloring. Simplicity pure and unpre- 
tending has been my effort, confining myself to 
presenting my facts so that they might be under- 
stood. If the "old salt" has succeeded in inter- 
esting his readers, his object has been gained. 

The Author. 



LIFE AFLOAT. 



I COMMENCED going to sea when thirteen 
years of age, and for three years remained 
on small fishing and coasting vessels, at the end 
of which time I trimmed my sheets for deep water, 
and made several voyages to Europe, until 1845, 
when, on the 28th day of December, I shipped in 
the United States navy, and on the 31st joined 
the "North Carolina" receiving-ship at Brooklyn, 
N.Y., navy-yard. There were some three hundred 
men * there awaiting orders . Of course employment 
must be given them, and every morning at nine 
o'clock a party was detailed for shore service, some 
to work in one place and some in another, one field 
of their labor being the woodshed, where they were 
required to take the bark from ihe wood to be 
used on board men-of-war, as the bark made dust 

on the deck. 

This wood business was very well for a short 
time, but finally some of the men thought it time 
for thte wood-pile to play out ; so a vote was taken 
one morning, and it was resolved to "strike," 



6 LIFE AFLOAT. 

which was done by striking all the handles from 
the axes, and when the officer who had charge came 
round he found us with nothing but the handles in 
our hands. He saw the ^tuation, and ordered us 
to the ship. We made little out of our act, for in 
the spring came an order from Washington to send 
a draft of men to the receiving-ship " Pennsylvania," 
at Norfolk, Va., and we found that all of the wood 
barkers were called to " lash hammocks " and 
" shoulder ba^rs " for that destination. There were* 
one hundred and sixty men to go, besides the 
officers, and we embarked on board a schooner that 
was to take us to Norfolk. The vessel was in bal- 
last, with a flooring over it, and we were given jltife.-* 
entire hold to ourselves. All we had to eat was 
raw pork and hard bread for the entire passage 
of three days. Some of the men thought, they 
would like one square meal, and accordingly made 
arrangements to procure it. 

The galley, or cook's house, was on deck, the 
weather door of which was usually closed. One 
day the officers were to have a nice dinner of roast 
chickens, that the men were determined to capture. 
They accordingly })laced a sentry on each side of 
the galley, one of whom was to pass and repass 
the open door, to see when the cook took the 
chickens from the oven, when he was to signalize 
the one at the windward side, who was to rap on 
the door, as if he were an officer, and thus, by 



LIFE AFLOAT, 



attracting the cook's attention, allow the other to 
make off with the prize. The sentry accordingly 
rapped smartly, anil called " Steward, " which 
call was obeyed by th^' " doctor's " opening the 
door. There was no one there, and while he was 
wondering what it could mean, the other sentry 
made off with the chickens. He turned around to 
find his dinner gone, which I saw passed from 
hand to hand down the fore-hatch. There was abiof 
"'fow aft, but in vain, for when the officer got forward 
the chickens were all devoured. 

We arrived at Norfolk on the night of the third 
day at twelve o'clock, and anchored within hailing 
;»*,<fetance of the "Pennsylvania." The schooner was 
hailed by the officer of the deck, to know what we 
wanted so near, and when informed that we had a 
draft of men for the ship, in a few moments the 
whistle of the boatswain's mate was heard at the 
hatch calLng^ "All hands lash and carry for the 
ship ! " It was kind of rough on the boys, but in 
the navy every one has to start upon the word. 

It is the rule on Uncle Sanuiel's ships, as I 
found, that the last order must be obeyed. If the 
captain should order you to go to the purser's ward 
and tell him to " splice the main brace," and on 
the way you should meet the boatswain, who should 
tell you to shift the guy to windward, you are bound 
to obey him. If you pass on to obey the original 
order, the boatswain may report you at the mast. 



8 LIFE AFLOAT. 

It was so while I was in the navy, and punishable as 
''disobedience of orders." 

But I am running off my course, and will square 
yards for a return to the "Pennsylvania." The boats 
from the ship came alongside to transfer the men on 
board, and it was half-past one o'clock when the 
boatswain gave the order to " pipe down." At 4 
A.M. all hands were piped to " up hammocks ! " that 
were to be stowed in the nettings. The "Pennsyl- 
vania" was a vast ship, with a company of fifteen 
hundred men and boys on board, with room for 
more. She was a four-decker, and pierced for 
one hundred and forty-four guns. She had re- 
mained in one place so long that she had grounded 
on the beef bones that came out of the nien's 
kettles. 

Among so large a number of men as were here 
gathered together, as may be supposed, all sorts 
of characters were to be found : all sorts of 
mechanics, with thieves, gamblers, and shoulder 
hitters. While rambling about the decks a great 
variety of occupation was to be observed. Some 
were rigging ships, some platting sennit to make 
hats of, others making frocks or pants, and in some 
quiet nook yarns were being spun by old tars of 
their early voyages. One I heard telling the story 
of the "Constitution" and " Guerrierre." He was 
on board of " Old Ironsides " as a powder-boy, and 
though only about fifty years old, his weather-beaten 



LIFE AFLOAT. y 

features, and his white hair and beard, made him 
appear, as he was, a true son of Neptune, aged 
before his time. When he spoke of his old com- 
modore, Hull, his eyes would sparkle and his veins 
swell out like whipcords. He told of his being 
struck on the head by a splinter ; and the captain of 
the gun tied up his wound and sent him for more 
powder. 

Thieving was denounced as g, great crime on board, 
and closely guarded against ; but it was nevertheless 
practised to some extent. I was witness of a speci- 
men of these stirring tricks on one occasion. I was 
going up the fore-hatch one evening about nine 
o'clock, when I discovered a small line that led down 
the hatchway. I stopped on the spar-deck to in- 
vestigate the water. In a short time I saw what 
appeared to be a blanket coming up the hatchway 
and disappearing in the foretop. Presently the 
line descended from the top again, which had a hook 
attached. A man seized the line and descended the 
hatch. The hammocks were all hanging on their 
hooks on the gun-deck, with some of the men in 
them. I watched the man who held the line, the 
hook in his hand, and saw that if a blanket was 
lying loose on an empty hammock he would attach 
the hook to it, when, upon some signal, the blanket 
would start for the top. I found that the articles 
stolen were sold to bumboat men, or smuggled ashore 
in boats. 



10 LIFE AFLOAT. 

Gambling was practised in every conceivable 
place on board where the officers could not see 
what was going on. The tops were favorite resorts 
in pleasant weather for these tricky gentry, who 
continually violated the rules of the navy, that for- 
bid gambling in any form. So boxing-gloves were 
disallowed, but they were plenty enough, and much 
trouble sprung from them, as the men using them 
were noisy and quarrelsome, for which they were 
put in irons, gagged, and, when sobered and subdued, 
had to receive twelve lashes on the bare back. All 
sorts of devices were practised to relieve the mo- 
notony of life on shipboard. 

About this time trouble was seen arising from 
the disputed question of the boundary between 
Mexico and the United States, and work at the 
navy-yard was brisk. At Norfolk ships of war 
were being repaired and fitting for sea, and the new 
United States ship " St. Mary," built at Washing- 
ton, arrived at Norfolk. The interest of the men 
was awakened, and knots of them assembled, talking 
over as to what ships they wished to go in, and what 
officers they would like to sail with. Men were 
detailed every few days to go with the water-boat to 
the Dismal Swamp for water, bringing some 60,000 
gallons, and things began to look lively generally. 
The Dismal Swamp water was very good. It was 
called "juniper water," because it smelt and tasted 
of juniper. It made very nice tea. 



LIFE AFLOAT. 11 

One day the executive officers of the " Saratoga " 
and the "St. Mary" (Lieuts. Farragut and Ken- 
nedy) came on board to take a look at our men, 
and a few days later they came again to pick out 
crews for their ships. The men were drawn up in 
lines upon the gun-deck. The able seamen were 
in the front line to be drawn from, the ordinary 
seamen and boys in lines by themselves. After the 
number of able seamen for each crew was picked out, 
the ordinary seamen and boys were taken. The 
Lieut. Farragut here mentioned was to be the hero 
of Mobile and New Orleans. The officers went to 
the head of the line of seamen, each taking one 
alternately, who would fall back as he was chosen. 
Jack Savage and myself were side by side, and 
feared w^e should be separated, but upon saying to 
Lieut. Kennedy that we would like to volunteer for 
the "St. Mary," he eaid, "All right, my men, fall 
back ! " and we had our wish. The two ships' 
companies were picked out, and in a few days the 
ship " Saratoga " went into commission, transferring 
her men on board. 

I have thus far failed to speak of Jack Savage, 
with whom I had sailed several voyages before I 
shipped in the navy, whom I found on the " Penn- 
sylvania." Jack and I had walked deck in calms 
and storms, and spun yarns of our early days. He 
told me of his home scenes in the old Pine-Tree 
State, and of his mother, sisters, and brothers, 



12 LIFE AFLOAT. 

whom he had left, to earn his bread upon the sea. 
He described the parting from his mother, who 
threw her arras about his neck, and, with her 
motherly kiss upon his brow, bade farewell to her 
boy. Poor Jack I That was his last kiss from 
her, for on his return, after ten years' absence, 
he found that his dear old mother had slipped her 
cable and gone to rest. Jack was what we could 
call a true Yankee sailor : faithful in his duty, 
obedient to his officers, and kind to his shipmates. 
It was pleasant to know that w^e were not to be 
separated. 

The " St. Mary " was not likely to be ready for 
some time, and her company was transferred from 
the "Pennsylvania" to the frigate "Constellation," 
then lying up, stripped to her gantline. We were 
on board this ship for two weeks, during which the 
"St. Mary" was taking her battery, shot, shells, 
water, and stores on board ; and we worked on 
board of her each day. We liked our new ship. 
She was a first-class sloop-of-war, of one thousand 
tons, mounting twenty-two guns, eighteen 32- 
pounders, and four 64-pounders, commanded by 
Capt. John L. Saunders ; executive officer, A. 11. 
Kennedy ; lieutenants, William Taylor, Charles 
Steedman, Charles Morris ; sailing-master, Joshua 
D. Todd ; and six midshipmen. The ship's company 
numbered 212, all told. 
' Our ship went into commission April 1, 1845 ; 



LIFE AFLOAT. 13 

and I heard Lieut. Kennedy tell Lieut. Farragut 
that of all crews within his experience he had never 
seen so fine a lot of men. All were Yankees with 
a few exceptions. In the main-top, where I was 
stationed, out of eighteen men, ten of them were 
more than six feet tall, and throughout the ship the 
men were of like average proportion. The officers 
were very proud of the company. I must say, as 
one of the crew, that there were some officers — two 
especially — that were disliked by the men, but as they 
have gone to Davy Jones' Locker, I will let them rest 
in peace. Lieut. Kennedy, our executive officer, was 
a little man, but his heart was as large as a thirty-two- 
pound shot ; a man who behaved himself, and per- 
formed his duties like a man. He was the sailor's 
friend, and respected by all of us. Lieut. Steed- 
man — at this writing an admiral, stationed at the 
California navy-yard, — was a noble specimen of the 
American naval officer. He was strict in his dis- 
cipline, but kind to his men, and was beloved by the 
entire ship's company. Lieut. Morris, son of the 
late Com. Morris, w^as one of natupe's noblemen ; 
but we did not have him long with us, as he was 
fired at by a treacherous Mexican, while in a boat 
with a flag of truce, and killed. Our middies were 
a fine lot of gentlemen, those who are living, com- 
manders in our navy; and our warrant-officers, 
boatswain, sail-maker, carpenter, and gunner were 
all o^ood men. Of one officer I have foro^otten to 



14 LIFE AFLOAT. 

speak, and he was too good a man to pas8 by un- 
noticed : our purser, Mr. Littleton T. Waller, a 
Virginian. He was a most exemplary person, be- 
loved by all on board. 

Jack Savage and myself belonged to the ward- 
room boat. This boat is used by all the officers in 
the wardroom. The captain has his boat by him- 
self. There are on board six boats. The launch is 
stowed on deck, built to carry one hundred men ; 
the first, second, third, and fourth cutters and gig 
are hoisted to the davits. We had some nice times 
in rowing the officers back and forth between the 
ship and shore while we lay at Norfolk. An inci- 
dent occurred affecting one of the boat's crew that 
shows how the appetite will run away with the rea- 
son. A middie, commanding the first cutter, with 
a crew of men, went to the yard to fetch on board 
the spirits belonging to the ship's stores. The 
spirits were in barrels, and they had to be rolled 
down from the storehouse to the boat. W^hile the 
crew were doing this, the officer's eyes being turned 
just then in the wrong direction, they ended up one 
of the barrels, took the head out, and were all 
"tight" in no time. The officer was sent below 
for a week, and each of the men received twelve 
lashes on the bare back, — a sore job for them. 

There were several men-of-war at Norfolk, — the 
"Princeton" (Com. Stockton), "Saratoga," ''St. 
Mary," and" Porpoise," — and appearances indicated 



■ LIFE AFLOAT. 15 

that there would soon be a movement. The men 
were drilled at the big and small guns, and also at 
reefing and furling sails, and sending spars up and 
down. Our ship was " A No. 1" in all the manoeu- 
vres. The order came at last, and all the ships 
dropped down to Fortress Monroe, safely anchoring 
in Hampton Roads. Nothing of note occurred here 
except a severe gale, during which we sent down 
yards and let go the third anchor. As soon as the 
gale Wiis over the commodore made signals for all to 
get under way and make sail for Galveston, Texas. 

As our ship passed Cape Henry she came up with 
the commodore, when all hands manned the rigging 
and gave him three cheers. The " St. Mary" sailed 
so fast that we had to shorten sail, for the "Por- 
poise " to keep up with us. The " Princeton " did 
• not utilize her steam, but kept on under canvas only. 

j The passage to the Hole in the Wall was very pleas- 
ant, with fair winds all the way. We were con- 
stantly being drilled at the big guns, and our 
executive officer made me captain of gun No. 5. 

Regarding rations at sea. Our ship having but 
two decks, we had to spread our mess-cloth on the 
upper deck, between the guns. This mess-cloth was 
painted canvas, about seven feet square, upon which 
I • the grub was placed, and the men, twelve in num- 

ber, seated themselves around it on the deck. Each 
mess was allowed a chest to keep its stores in, which 
contains tea, sugar, molasses, butter, cheese, pickles. 



16 LIFE AFLOAT. 

and dried fruit, together with mess-kettle, pots, pans, 
and spoons. Each mess has its cook. He stops his 
rations and gets the amount in cash, $21 every three 
months, which pays very well. The rations for 
each man in the United States navy are : three 
pounds pork, two pounds beef, one pound flour, 
lialf-pound rice, quarter-pound dried fruit, half a 
dozen pickles, six dozen biscuits, fourteen ounces 
sugar, one and three-quarters ounces tea, four 
ounces butter, one and one-half pint beans, half a 
pint molasses, half a pint vinegar. These were 
the rations when I was in the navy, but at the 
present time there are more preserved meats and 
less salt provisions. 

It may be interesting to know, especially by my 
female readers, how cooking is managed in the navy. 
The ship's cooking-range is about eight feet square 
and six feet high, with two tanks in the after end, 
in charge of the ship's cook. These tanks are six 
feet by four, and four feet high, one of which is for 
tea-water, the other for cooking the pork, beef, and 
bean-soup. There are two large faucets by which 
to draw the soup and tea-water. The tea is not put 
into the tank, and half an hour before meal time it 
is reported to the officer of the deck, who gives his 
order to the mess cooks to draw their tea-water, put 
their tea and sugar into their mess-kettles, and oo to 
the ship's cook to obtain about a quart of hot water 
for each man. These are covered up, and placed 



LIFE AFLOAT. 17 

in the mess-chest • to cook for half an hour, when 
about five minutes before meal-time they stir up the 
tea, fill the several pails, and serve it to their men. 
The forward part of the range is used by the 
cooks for the oflScers. The tanks, or coppers, after 
every meal, must be thoroughly cleaned. The cook 
jumps in with his cloth and cleans the coppers until 
they shine like burnished steel, and then reports to 
the chief cook, or " doctor," who takes a piece of 
white paper and rubs it on the inside ; if it stains 
the paper it is not clean. I never saw the cook's 
coppers go back on him. The cook has a certain 
number of sticks of wood served out to him at every 
meal. 

We had been out ten days from Norfolk when the 
man at the mast-head reported land ahead. In an 
hour's time we could see it from the deck. It proved 
to be the Hole in the Wall. The "Porpoise" was 
booming along with every sail set, while we were 
under topsail, with the mizzen clewed down to the 
cap. At 12 M. we were abreast the light with the 
squadron in sight astern. The morning following 
we passed the " Isaacs " with a stiff breeze from the 
eastward. The lookout reported a large ship ahead, 
steering the same course that we were. The com- 
modore made signal to our ship to chase and speak 
her, she being twelve miles ahead. This was the 
first time that we had been allowed to see how the 
" St. Mary " would go, and every rag of canvas was 



k 



18 LIFE AFLOAT. 

set that would draw. The log showed that we were 
going fourteen knots an hour. In three hours we 
overhauled the ship, which proved to be the " Isaac 
Newton," of Boston, bound to New Orleans, in 
ballast. After speaking her we hauled in studding- 
sails, and shortening sail, waited for the fleet to come 
up. Then the order was given to " splice the main- 
hrace,'^ which piece of seamanship may deserve a 
brief explanation. It was usual on board ship, when 
taking in or making sail, if the work was performed 
in first-class style, and the captain was in humor, for 
him to order up the grog-tub and give the men a 
"tod" all round, which delicate operation was called 
"splicing the main-brace." No one is compelled to 
perform the duty unless he chooses. 

For two days we sailed alon^ w ith fine breezes 
and pleasant weather, and plenty of exercise at the 
bis: ffuns. On the third mornino- the commodore's 
ship came up and spoke us, ordering us to make sail 
for our destination. We then manned the rigging, 
gave him three cheers, and made all sail, with a fine 
breeze from tlie eastw^ard. In three hours there was 
not a sail in sight. At 1 P.M. the lookout aloft 
reported sail right astern, and at 4.30 P.M., the 
"Princeton," under steam and sail, with the " Por- 
poise" in tow, came up within hailing distance of 
us. So much for steam and canvas together. 

Our ship was now nearing her destination, and 
approaching the Texan coast at midnight, sounded 



LIFE AFLOAT. 19 

in fourteen fathoms of water. We sent up rockets 
and burnt blue lights to learn whether there were 
any ships lying off Galveston. We got no answer, 
and lay to till morning, when, finding no land in 
sight, we crowded on sail, and in about an hour 
made the land. At 9.30 A.M. we came to anchor 
in ten fathoms of water, five miles outside of Galves- 
ton Bar. We furled sails, sent down top-gallant 
and royal yards, and spread awnings. At 4 P.M. 
the squadron arrived and came to anchor. The 
commodore sent a boat ashore for orders and mail- 
bags for the fleet. We heard that night that Gen. 
Taylor had landed at^Corpus Christi with his army. 
The war-star we knew was rising. 

After lying here three days we had orders to sail 
for Rio Grande del Norte, where we found the United 
States ship " John Adams " and brig " Somers," with 
transports. We lay within two miles of the beach, 
and while tliere the battle of Palo Alto was fought. 
We could hear the guns very plainly from the ships. 
As soon as the battle was over news of the victory 
was telegraphed to the ships, and the death of Major 
Ringold. 

We remained here until the battle of Resaca de 
la Palma was fouglit, when our ship and the " Sara- 
toira" were ordered back to Galveston for a short 
time. While lying there the officers thought it a 
good time to get some fish. The " Saratoga " had a 
seine on board, and so, taking two boats, one from 



20 LIFE AFLOAT. 

each ship, officered by Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Steed- 
man of the " St. Mary," and Mr. Farragut and two 
officers of the " Saratoga," manned by twenty-five 
men, provided with frying-pans, pork, etc., we pro- 
ceeded to the fishing-ground. The harbor of Gal- 
veston has the disadvantage of a bar, inside of which 
are a number of spits. We rowed in on the back of 
one of these spits and hove the seine. There were 
plenty of mullets jumping out of the water, and a 
part of the men held the seine by one end on shore, 
while the rest ran around with the other end until 
the two came together, when all hands hauled in, 
and when the seine was landed there was a sight 
to behold ! We had barrels and barrels of fish, — 
hundred of barrels, apparently, — about the size of 
ordinary herring, with plenty of mullets for all 
hands. We spread the seine to dry, brought wood 
for the fire, cleaned the fish, and sent one boat back 
loaded with them, for the ship's use. 

One day while lying at Galveston the third cutter 
was sent on shore in charge of one of the midship- 
men for the mail-bags. They arrived all right, but 
returning in the afternoon, the wind began to blow 
very fresh, and it was a hard pull to get to the ship. 
After rowing some time, and not making much head- 
way, the men tossed their oars and refused to pull 
any more in that direction. The officer tried to 
force them to proceed ; but it was of no use. Then 
he ordered them to ship their oars and return to land. 



LIFE AFLOAT. 21 

They arrived at Galveston before night, where the 
officer went ashore, ordering that the boat should go 
alongside the cutter, that lay a short distance from 
the town. The crew left their boat, dropping her 
astern, and went on board the cutter. The officers 
were all on shore except the boatswain, who had 
been left in charge. Jack Stubbs, the coxswain of 
the ship's boat, proposed to the boat's crew that they 
should steal the boat and run away. They all con- 
sented, and the j^lan they adopted to get into the 
boat again was ingenious. The coxswain went aft, 
and told the officer, who questioned him, that he 
wanted to go back to the boat to get his jacket. 
Then he slid down by the painter. The others then 
came aft, and all were clamorous for Jack to pass 
their coats, one after the other sliding down the 
painter. It being dusk, the officer did not detect the 
trick until it was too late. When he came aft the 
painter was cut, the sails were set, and the boat on 
her way up the river. They went up Red River, 
sold the boat, and escaped to New Orleans. As 
the boat did not arrive at the ship during the night, 
the fourth cutter was ordered in the morning to go 
in and learn where she was. They found Mr. 
Yates, the officer of the boat ; but his crew had 
skipped. On his return with his report the cap- 
tain was very angry, ordering him off duty and to 
keep below for a week. 

A few days after this occurrence we got under way 



22 LIFE AFLOAT. 

for Vera Cruz. On the passage down we fell in 
with a schooner that had lost her foremast. She 
was bound to Vera Cruz, with a cargo of stores for 
the fleet, and, giving her a hawser, we towed her in. 
We came to anchor at the island of Sacrificios, four 
miles from Vera Cruz, the castle of St. Juan de 
Ulloa, bearing N.W. by N. At the time of our 
arrival we found quite a fleet of men-of-war and a 
new commodore, Com. Connor. Com. Stockton had 
been relieved to go to California, to succeed Com. 
Sloat. The "John Adams" was flag-ship, the 
squadron consisting of the " John Adams " " St. 
Mary," " Saratoga," " Mississippi," " Porpoise," 
and "Somers." The " Princeton " was blockading 
Vera Cruz. We were called to bury one of our ship- 
mates, who had died of consumption. We buried 
him on the island of Sacrificios, with a board at his 
head and feet. Jack Griffin painted the following 
epitaph on his head-board : — 

** Stop, sailors, stop, as you pass near: 
Away from friends and home so dear, 
I died a stranger in a foreign land, 
And was buried here by my shipmates' hands." 

One day while lying there a very large and peculiar 
fish made his appearance on the surface of the water, 
and John Downing, the captain of the foretop, asked 
permission to go and harpoon him. Mr. Kennedy 
gave his permission, and so he took the first cutter 



LIFE AFLOAT. 23 

and crew, with harpoon and coil of rigging, and 
went for the fish. The other ships began to send 
boats to see the fun. Downing was an old whale- 
man, and when he came up with the fish he gave 
him the iron. The monster started like a racer, 
moving round in a circle. The other boats made 
fast to ours, and there were eight boats in tow. He 
kept up the same speed, round and round, for about 
an hour, when he began to slack up, and finally 
grounded upon the island. All hands got ropes on 
him to drag him up for inspection, when he proved 
to be a devil-fish of enormous size, estimated by the 
officers to weigh fully five tons. 

An incident happened that gave us great regret. 
We had to part with our veteran shipmate. Bill 
Fraser, who was ordered on board the brig " Somers," 
to serve as gunner. He was a favorite of the whole 
crew, who were loath to have him go. He was very 
interesting in spinning yarns, and possessed a great 
memory. He was born upon the sea, and had 
passed all of his life afloat, improving his spare time 
in writing his experiences on the ocean. It made a 
large book, concerning which he said: "If I live 
till this cruise is over I will have it printed." Poor 
old Bill ! his cruise was about ended, for six months 
after leaving our ship he was drowned by the cap- 
sizing of one of the " Somers ' " boats in a gale. This 
occurred about seven miles from Sacrificios, and was 
seen from the ships, boats being sent in relief; but 



24 LIFE AFLOAT. 

owing to the wind and sea the foundered boat went 
down in about ten minutes. But two boats reached 
the spot, — one French and one American, — three 
hours after the "Somers"' boat had sunk, finding 
several of her crew clinging to some wreckage; but 
Veteran Bill, our old shipmate, was with the lost; 
his life closed on the ocean, — his. cradle and grave. 
Orders came for us to relieve the " Princeton " on 
the blockade. That ship the Mexicans called the 
" Yankee Devil, " as she cruised round without sails, 
and showed no smoke. We feared we should have 
a long drag at it, and our water was becoming short, 
our commodore putting us on one pint per day, be- 
sides our tea- water. The " Stockton " came to 
anchor as we received orders to weigh. A descrip- 
tion of " weighing anchor " may interest some. 
There is a place on board ships called a " manger," 
under the heel of the bowsprit, where there is a 
laro^e sheave horizontal with the deck. The mes- 
senger, which is a chain with long links, has one 
end passed through this sheave and carried to the 
capstan, around which it is placed, and the two 
ends tackled together* There are slots in the cap- 
stan that receive the links of the messenger, and 
rope or iron stops taken to the messenger and chain. 
When ready for weighing, the capstan bars, having 
been shipped, then heave away, with, if possible, 
a man sitting on top with his violin, playing some 
lively air. I have seen our ship with thirty fathoms 



LIFE AFLOAT. 25 

of chain ahead, and in fifteen minutes the anchor 
was on the Jbow and royals set. We were now to 
take our place in blockading Yera Cruz, where we 
spent three months, with nothing of note to relate. 
We were under sail all the time, looking out for 
vessels that might try to run in or out, not one of 
which we saw, except a French, sloop-of-war. 
One day we made her, running down for our ship. 
As she drew near we took her flag to be Mexican. 
We were hoping for a brush, and all the men 
were spoiling for a fight. The ship was about five 
miles away, and was putting for us with all her 
speed. We took in top-gallant sails and hauled up 
the courses. We beat to quarters, cast loose the 
guns, sanded the deck, passed up shot and shell 
(grape and canister), put out the fires, opened 
magazine stoppers for the rigging, and plugs for the 
hull, men all ready in their places, oflficers with their 
side-arms and pistols in their belts , some of the men 
even having taken off their frocks, and everything 
was in perfect order for an attack. As he neared 
us we could hear his drum beating to quarters, 
and were sure that we were to have a game of hall. 
On he came with the wind well abaft the beam, his 
flag, which was partly behind the mizzen top-sail, 
not appearing at all, w4ien he luflPed up two points, 
and we then could see that his flag was French. 
Our fun was all up. He came down to speak to 
us. His men were all at their quarters. He w^as 



26 LIFE AFLOAT. 

from Havana, bound to Vera Cruz : so we beat the 
" retreat, " secured the guns, closed the magazine, 
and made sail. 

As our water was very low, and the men were 
suffering for want of it, we kept off, and ran in where 
the commodore's ship lay. We went on board the 
flag-ship and made our report. The commodore 
gave orders to go to the Rio Grande and fill up with 
water. We made the passage in four days, and 
anchored in seven fathoms of water. A small 
schooner came off, and she was chartered to bring 
water to the ship. A number of large casks were 
on board, which the crew would fill and bring off, 
but it was so rough they would not come alongside. 
She came to anchor some twenty yards abeam of 
the ship, and to get them on board we started the 
bilge hoops and put two beckets under them. We 
then drove the hoops on again, and reeving a line 
through the beckets, one end at the ship the other 
at the schooner, with a drawing line each way, the 
caskF were lowered overboard and pulled to and fro 
till sufficient was procured. We were four days in 
filling our tanks in this way. 

We enjoyed a great treat while at the Rio Grande. 
One day a boat came off to the ship with a logger- 
head turtle, weighing about one thousand pounds, 
which was bought for the ship's company, to be 
made into soup. Delmonico was nowhere for soups, 
compared with our cook. After it was dressed and 



LIFE AFLOAT. 27 

taken to the cook it looked as if it would be a per- 
fect success ; but some of the veterans thought it 
would be more palatable were there some spirits in 
it. So one of the old quartermasters went to the 
officer on deck with a requisition for two gallons of 
whiskey to put in the soup. The officer was a mid- 
shipman, rather green, who signed the requisition, 
and the whiskey was served out to the ship's cook. 
It was put in the soup, and after it got to cooking, 
and the steam began to come up through the grating 
in the deck, the old shell-backs smacked their lips, 
exclaiming, "That is the boss cook!" At 12 M. 
dinner was served out, the mess-cooks were ordered 
to draw their soup, the mess- cloths were spread on 
deck, and the boatswain and his mates piped to 
dinner. As the covers to the men's kettles were 
taken off, the whiskey scented the ship. The cap- 
tain was on deck at the time, who began to sniff, 
and wanted to know if the men had boiled whiskey 
for dinner. The officer of the deck explained it to 
him, and he had a hearty laugh over it. He thought 
that as it was cooked there would be no trouble, as 
they could not get tight on that. Those who did 
not drink whiskey would not eat the soup, and those 
who had the appetite for rum went in for filling up 
their skins .^ We had several turtle-soups after that, 
but there was no whiskey in them. 

As we had our water all in, and the men their 
whiskey soup, we got under way again for Vera 



28 LIFE AFLOAT. 

Cruz, where we relieved the "Porpoise," and took our 
place on the blockade. 

About this time we had orders to look out for 
steamers, it being rumorqd that Santa Anna was on 
his way to Mexico to make peace. We were to 
stop him if found on his passage, and one day we 
saw a black smoke denoting a steamer in the offing, 
for which we made all sail. \Ye found that she 
was steering for Vera Cruz and seemed desirous of 
avoiding us, as we were right in her way. This 
made us more anxious to stop her. She was under 
full head of steam and attempted to cross our track, 
when we gave her a 32-pound shot across her bow, 
which caused her to stop. She was flying English 
colors. We hove to under the lee of the steamer and 
sent a boat on board. Passing under her stern, we 
saw Santa Anna and his wife looking out of one of 
the cabin windows. Mr. Kennedy was the board- 
ing-officer, who exchanged salutations with the 
officers of the steamer and stated his errand, when 
he was invited into the cabin and introduced to 
Santa Anna, who produced a paper and handed it to 
Mr. Kennedy. It was a pass from President Polk 
permitting the bearer to go into Mexico. We re- 
turned to the ship, and the steamer went on her way 
to Vera Cruz. 

As our ship's company had been living on salt 
provisions for a long time, the scurvy began to make 
its appearance. For four months we had been 



LIFE AFLOAT. 29 

without fresh provisions, and something had to be 
thought of to remedy the evil and prevent the terri- 
ble disease. One morning, after breakfast, the 
painters were ordered to paint out the white streak 
around the ship ; and when this was done we made 
sail for the land, hauling down the American flag 
and hoisting the English. We ran within two miles 
of the land and came to anchor in six fathoms of 
water. We were about forty miles from Vera Cruz, 
and, lowering our boats, we went ashore, where there 
were some ten men waiting to find out what we 
wanted. Our errand was made known, which was 
to procure some beef cattle, and we found them 
ready to trade. The price was named, which was 
satisfactory to us; and then, mounting their horses, 
they proceeded to lasso the cattle and bring them 
to the beach, where our boats would each take one in 
tow, and bring it to the ship. A strap was then 
placed around the horns and the animal hoisted upon 
deck. At 5 P.M. we had twenty head on board. I 
think those on shore knew that we were not what 
our flag denoted, but they were very kind and oblig- 
ing, letting us have goats, chickens, and everything 
we wanted, at fair prices. About $300 were left 
with them. Our stock was stowed in between 
the guns on deck, the goats, etc., placed under the 
top-gallant forecastle. At 6 P.M. we hauled up the 
boats, got under way, and made sail for the 
squadron. At 2 A.M. hauled up till daylight, and 



30 LIFE AFLOAT. 

at 6 A.M. bore up for the fleet, at 8 A.M. coming 
to anchor under Green Island, where we made sig- 
nals to the commodore that we had cattle on board 
for the fleet. He sent his boats to help land them 
on the island, and at 12 o'clock we had them all 
landed, and commenced butchering. We had some 
of the meat served several times, which affected the 
men badly, and we had to give that up as "poor 
fodder." We kept one goat for a pet, and we 
taught him many tricks, in the performance of one 
of which, one day, he forgot the number of his mess. 
Mr. Kennedy was forward and started to go aft, 
when Mr. Goat seemed to think that the oflScer being 
a small man he had a soft thing in attacking him. 
He made sail to "run the fleet," and Mr. Kennedy, 
beino- directly in his course, received a butt that 
hove him on his beam-ends. That was his last ex- 
ploit, for next day he was served up for the officers' 
dinner. 

About this time we experienced a very heavy 
"norther." It blew big guns, and we had to send 
down all the upper yards and spars. The top- 
gallant and royal yards and top-gallant mast were 
lowered on deck, with the fore and main yards across 
the hammock netting, the top -mast with top-sail yard 
across the rim of the tops. There were four anchors 
ahead during the gale, and, after it was over, the 
commodore signalled to hoist up the lower yards, top- 
mast, top-gallant mast, top-gallant and royal yards. 



^ LIFE AFLOAT. 31 

It wanted seven minutes to eight-bells when the order 
was given, and, when eight-bells struck, everything 
was in its place, and the men were piped to break- 
fast. Some merchant sailor might say that this could 
not W don^ } but, with everything ready and plenty 
of mefi, as on a man-of-war, it was easily per- 
formed. 

After a few days the commodore ordered our ship 
to blockade Tampico. We made sail and proceeded 
to our destination. We found the " John Adams " 
there, the qommodore having changed his flag to the 
"Cumberland." The day after we arrived we had a 
severe norther. The day before the gale was beau- 
tiful, with not a cloud to be seen in the sky. The 
peak of Orizaba was in view some twenty-five leagues 
from the coast, in lat. 19^ 3'. This mountain burst 
forth in 1545, and continued in action twenty years, 
since which time there has been no appearance of 
combustion. Its height is 17,176 feet above the 
level of the sea. To the north of Orizaba is Cofre 
de Pezote, 13,992 feet above sea level. These 
mountains upon the morning of the gale were very 
bright, and the old sailors said, as they gave a hitch 
to their pants and turned their quids over, " Look 
out, boys ! you will have wind enough before night." 
After breakfast all hands were called to reef top-sails, 
get up storm-sails, and unshackle chains, to be all 
ready to slip and crawl off sliore when the gale came. 
At this time there was not a ripple on the water, nor 



32 LIFE AFLOAT. 

a cloud to be seen. At 10.30 A.M. there was a 
small cloud at the north, and at 11 A.M. the norther 
struck the ship, sea and wind together, and in fifteen 
minutes we had to slip or founder. We set the fore 
and main top-sails with four reefs in them with lower 
storm-sails, but the top-sails were blown out of the 
bolt-ropes. There were no hemp sails. New ones 
were immediately bent . The " John Adams " lay fifteen 
minutes after we slipped. She made one plunge that 
filled her decks with water. We set our top-sails 
close-reefed and hauled off. At 1.45 P.M. we 
shipped a sea, which carried away one of our boats 
from the davits. It was blowing very heavy, with a 
tremendous sea running, and the ship going oflf 
shore like a thing of life. At 3 P.M. we got a good 
offing and hove the ship to. She lay like a duck. 
The morning after the gale the wind had moderated 
80 much that we made sail to get to our anchorage 
again, and by 12 M. we had all sail set. We spoke 
an English man-of-war brig bound for Tampico. 
At 2 P.M. we made the land, and at 4.30 picked up 
our boat, which we had lost, all right. At 6 o'clock 
we reached our anchorage, and soon found the buoy 
to our chains. The " John Adams " did not arrive 
till the morning followino^. 

Tampico Bar is situated in lat. 22° 15' 56" N., and 
long. 97° 50' 18 ' W., and the entrance of the river 
is, I think, the most dangerous I have ever seen. 
The general depth of water on the Bar is from eight 



LIFE AFLOAT. 33 

to fourteen feet, and the strong run of the river 
coming out and meeting the surf makes one con- 
tinuous «heet of broken water, the Bar beino: com- 
posed of quicksands, that shift with every gale of 
wind. Even with a fine day, and smooth water at 
the anchorage, the Bar has a very alarming appear- 
ance to a stranger. Much greater danger is incurred 
when rowing out with a boat than going in, and 
coming out with the wind blowing in ; one should 
consider well before attempting it, for should he be 
prevented from pulling out by a heavy sea and 
wind he will find great diflftculty in getting back 
against the current of the river, and " winding " the 
boat is attended with greater danger than all the 
rest. Within the river are from three to five 
fathoms of water, and it is about three-quarters of a 
mile wide. It is navigable for some ninety miles 
from its entrance, and about five and a half miles 
up is the old village of Tampico, on the south side 
of the river. 

The " John Adams " went to Pensacola for water 
and provisions, leaving us alone on the blockade. 
While sounding about we found a shoal spot of 
seven fathoms, with a rocky bottom, and it was 
thought it might prove a good place for fish. Some 
conchs for bait were procured from spits, and we 
struck out for the ledges. With baited hooks we 
threw over for a bite, and did not have to wait long. 
In about an hour we had all we wanted, of a kind 



34 LIFE AFLOAT. 

called red-fish. Mr. Kussell, the officer of the 
boat, got one on that he could not haul. The crew 
bent on and captured it. It weighed fifty pounds. 

The blockade was tedious without company, but 
the monotony was relieved one morning by the sight 
of a small skiff with one man in it rowing for our 
ship. He came alongside, and proved to be an 
Englishman from Tampico, who reported that the 
Mexicans were fitting out three gun-boats at that 
port, mounting one long 24-pounder each, and 
carrying forty men. They were to guard the river 
entrance. We had seen men building up fortifica- 
tions of sand-bags, and the man informed us that 
they were to aid the gun-boats in their defence of the 
river, which was very narrow at the entrance. A 
few days after this the gun-boats came down and took 
their stations. They were beauties, of about one 
hundred and twenty-five tons each, schooner rig, 
built in New York three years before. 

The officers kept chaffing the captain to cut them 
out, and after a while he gave his consent to this. 
The cutlasses were ground up, and every thing got 
ready for active service. We were about five miles 
from the mouth of the river, and one dark night we 
hove up anchor and dropped in as near as the 
water would allow, about two and a half miles from 
the gun-boats. We hoisted out the launch, and 
placed the 12-pound gun in her upon a slide, then 
the first, second, and third cutters, — four boats in 




LIFE AFLOAT. 



35 



all, — with crews amounting to sixty-five men. Mr. 
Kennedy had the third cutter, with the Englishman 
as pil(jt, with twelve men, myself included. We 
were to find the channel, and the rest of the boats 
were to follow us. Mr. Steedman had charge of 
the launch, with twenty-five men ; two midshipmen 
and Mr. North, the carpenter, were in the first 
cutter, with eighteen men ; and one midshipman, 
with Mr. Todd, the sailing-master, twelve men, and 
boatswain, all armed w^ith cutlasses and pistols, in 
the second. Our orders were to board on each side, 
forward and aft. At 10 P.M., all being ready, 
we started with mufifled oars, Mr. Kennedy taking 
the lead. After rowing around for an hour we 
found the entrance to the river. It was so dark 
that we could not see a boat nor hear one. The 
current was running very strong from the river, hut 
it was smooth on the bar. We lay on our oars for 
a short time, to see if the rest of the boats would 
come up, and we had to remain very quiet, that we 
might not alarm the enemy, ^e were within but a 
short distance of a battery at the point we had to 
pass. We here saw a light in the launch astern, 
wdiich had got aground on the bar. The sentry 
on the point saw the light and, gave the alarm. 
We were so near that we could hear the enemy 
talk and their officers give orders. Mr. Kennedy 
gave the order to give way with a will. We had 
to pass within fifteen yards of this fort, garrisoned 



36 LIFE AFLOAT. 

by five hundred men in and around it, and when we 
were abreast of it they let us have it, grape and 
canister, together with musketry. It being very 
dark, and we so near the beach, the shot went over 
us, with the exception of one musket-ball that went 
through he boat under the bow. In a few minutes 
we were by the fort, and between the fort and 
gun-boats. Firing commenced from the gun-boats 
at the fort and from the fort at the gun-boats, the 
former thinking we had possession of the fort, and 
the latter that we had captured the gun-boats, and 
were firing to prevent our getting out with them. 
We rested upon our oars and let them blaze away 
at each other, their shot passing over our heads 
quite briskly. We waited half an hour for the 
boats to come up, but they did not make their 
appearance, and as we could not take three gun- 
boats with our one crew, and it was getting very 
hot for us, Mr. Kennedy gave orders to turn the 
boat and " give it to her." We had the tide in our 
favor, and she fiiirly flew out by the fort. They 
again let drive at us, but did not do any harm. 

As we got by we met Mr. Steedraan in the 
launch, coming in like a steamboat. Mr. Kennedy 
hailed him, and told him that it was of no use to 
go in, as the enemy were on the alert. Mr. Steed- 
man replied, "I don't care a d — . I am going to 
have one shot at them." He ordered the launch 
rowed to the shore, bow on, and gave them the 



LIFE AFLOAT. 37 

12-pouiider, loaded to the muzzle with musket- 
balls. They did not return the fire, having all 
skedaddled and left the fort. We did not know the 
fact at the time. We then rowed out to the ship, 
and, as we passed over the bar, we fell in with the 
other boats, ashore on the spits. When we got 
alongside, the captain was on deck, and, as he 
listened to the report of the failure of the expedition, 
he was the maddest of the lot. The surgeon had 
all his instruments ready, with his bandages at 
hand, but no one had received a scratch. 

It was now 3 o'clock A.M., and all hands were 
called to get the stream anchor out astern to bring 
the ship broadside on the gun-boats. The two star- 
board shell guns were shifted over to the port side, 
thus bringing four shell guns to bear upon them. 
As daylight made its appearance we could see the 
gun-boats' crews standing by their guns, ready, as 
it seemed, to commence the ball. At 5 A.M. the 
drums beat to quarters. We opened w^ith the first 
battery, but it was a long range for our 32- 
pounders, — some two miles and three-quarters. 
The shot would pass over them, but it was too 
far for a direct shot with our three 32s, so we com- 
menced with tbe shell guns. All of this time they 
were firing at us ; but their shots flew over our 
ship, not one hitting her. The first shell from the 
ship burst a short distance beyond the gun-boats, 
the second burst close alongside, the third one 



38 LIFE AFLOAT. 

landed on the bow of one of the gun-boats, taking 
the bowsprit and foremast out of her. Upon this 
they all cut their cables and went up stream as fast 
as the wind could carry them, taking the wounded 
one in tow. After this we hove up anchor and 
moved oiF to our old berth. 

In about twenty days the " John Adams " arrived 
from Pensacola to relieve us, in order that we might 
go to that port on a like errand. She brought our 
mail-bags, the receipt of which gives the greatest joy 
to the sailor away from home, tied up as w^e had 
been for a year. We revelled in letters, and papers 
from all parts of the country. Mr. Waller, the 
purser, let me have all his papers to read. He was 
always very kind to me, and whenever I wanted a 
book or paper he would send me to his room to get 
whatever I wanted. 

We got under way and made sail for Pensacola, 
where we arrived in three days. We found the 
commodore there. We came to anchor the first of 
the evening, and on a man-of-war coming to anchor 
there is always a man stationed in the fore chan- 
nels to " stream the buoy." Jacob Ambrister was 
stationed at the buoy, — a perfect dare-devil of a 
fellow, a good sailor and shipmate, but who would 
run the risk of losing his life for a pint of rum. 
When Mr. Kennedy gave the order to stream the 
buoy and let go the anchor, Jacob went with 
them. Only a few were aware that Jake had gone 



LIFE AFLOAT. 39 

ashore to get some rum, in spite of sharks, with 
which die harbor was full. Hammocks were piped 
down at 9 P.M., and all hands turned in. I did 
not know what time it was in the night when I was 
awakened by the rattling of tin pots, denoting that 
Jack had swam on board with skins full of rum 
wound round him. He and his friends had a "good 
time" that night, but were very quiet. 

As the commodore had taken all the water from 
the water-boat we had to go on a water-expedition. 
There was a steamboat at the yard employed at times 
for such expeditions, and so we manned her, fired up, 
took the water-boat in tow, and started up the river 
about forty miles. We were three days in filling the 
tank and getting back to the ship. 

The flag-ship went up to town, that the crew might 
have " liberty." There was a circus that stopped at 
Pensacola navy-yard, and our ship sent one watch on 
shore to see it, but I think not one attended the show. 
Every man made sail for town, that is nine miles from 
the yard. I was one of the watch, and we started 
oft' for Pensacola as soon as we landed. There were 
several small streams to cross before we reached the 
town, over which we were ferried in flat boats. We 
arrived in town about nine o'clock, and found the men 
from the '* Mississippi " on "liberty." They had ap- 
propriated all the hall there was in the place, and 
when we came to the door, finding them all three 
sheets in the wind, and the other one shivering, our 



40 LIFE AFLOAT. 

boys thought it best to " clean them out," so we took 
charge ; but they had eaten up everything that was 
in the house, and we got the proprietor to buy us 
some coffee, while we went to the bake-house and 
bought that out. By this time some of the men 
were getting pretty full of fire-water. With the 
coffee and gingerbread we had bought we had quite 
a feast, but before we got througli with our supper 
several of the party were thrown upon their beam- 
ends who did not right till some of their rum ballast 
was hove out. Those who kept sober had a very 
pleasant time ; but there was no sleep for any of us. 
In the morning we made sail for some grub, find- 
ing all we wanted to eat and some nice bouquets of 
flowers. In the afternoon we saw the launch coming 
for us. We went to the wharf, and on calling the 
roll it was found that six were missing. Every man 
was sober, and each had a large bouquet. When 
we went over the side of the ship the officers laughed, 
to see our floral decorations. I gave my bouquet to 
Mr. Kennedy's boy to put in his state-room, and that 
evening, as Mr. Kennedy was under the top-gallant 
forecastle smoking, he called mc to him, and giving 
me two nice cigars, thanked me for the flowers. 

Having about all of our stores on board, and the 
water-tanks filled, the commodore sent word to say 
that he would like to see some of our target practice, 
as he had heard that we were very proficient in gun- 
nery ; so we made a target of a hammock put upon 




LIFE AFLOAT. 41 

stretchers, with a staff set in the bung-hole of a cask, 
which w^ placed about two miles from the ship. 
At 2 P.M. we saw the commodore coming, when 
all hands were beat to quarters. The starboard 
battery was cast loose, and all was ready when he 
arrived on board. The officers of the divisions 
wanted us to do our level best to hold the belt. 
We were to commence with No. 1, of which Joseph 
Fletcher was captain. He gave the order to fire, 
and when the smoke cleared away there was no tar- 
get to be seen. It had been '* knocked into a 
cocked hat" the first fire. The commodore said 
that would do ; the retreat was beaten, and he came 
down from the poop, passing compliments with the 
officers, and returned to his ship. As he left, the 
rigging was manned and we gave him three cheers. 
Next morning tie "Mississippi" and our ship 
made sail for Vera Cruz. The flag-ship went over 
the bar all right, but we were not so lucky; we 
took bottom and remained aground for four hours, 
in the meantime a strong breeze had sprung from 
the N.E. At 2 P.M. we came off, and on the third 
day out we sighted the "Mississippi," arriving two 
hours before her. We came to anchor in the road- 
stead of ^Anton Lizardo, distant twelve miles from 
Vera Cruz. It is formed by various shoals and reefs, 
with island channels between them, and is of very 
easy access, especially when a fresh wind causes the 
sea to break on the shoals. These shoals, although 



42 LIFE AFLOAT. 

they afford no shelter against the winds, break off the 
sea so much that ships ride very securely at their 
anchors, even during the hardest northerly gales. 
The anchorage is spacious, and fit for every class 
of vessels, for which reason, and because it is to 
leeward north of Vera Cruz a thorough knowledge 
of it is of the utmost importance to those who cannot 
reach that part with northerly winds. 

The saddest incident of my whole experience oc- 
curred here. A noble man and shipmate lost* his 
life by letting his passion run away with him. We 
were at quarters one day, and after we had been 
inspected by the officers the second part of our gun's 
crew, as was the rule, was ordered to the port side 
to rub the guns off. Samuel Jackson, the second 
captain of my gun, had to see this order complied 
with by his crew. When we mustered at quarters 
we were required to wear shoes, that were to be 
taken off when the muster was over ; and the orders 
were strict that nothing should be put under the 
guns. Jackson took his shoes off and put them 
under the breast of the gun, and when Mr. Taylor, 
the officer of our division, went over to the port 
side to inspect the guns, he found Jackson's shoes, 
which he took out and threw overboard. Jackson 
said, "Them are my shoes." The officer made 
some reply that Jackson did not like, who knocked 
him down, and when he got up he knocked him down 
again, blacking both of his eyes. The officers inter- 




I 



LIFE AFLOAT. 43 

fered, anU Jackson was arrested and put in irons. 
He was in irons a month before he was tried by 
court-martial, was found guilty, and sentenced to be 
hanged at the yard-arm. • 

It is death, by the laws of the navy, to strike 
an officer. The law was read to us on the first 
Sunday of every month, so every man fully under- 
stood it. A petition was signed on every ship for 
Jackson's pardon ; but Mr. Taylor was bound to have 
him hanged. He was confined for three months be- 
fore his sentence was executed, and when the day came 
the yellow flag was hoisted at the fore. Then was 
heard that doleful sound : ^^A.11 hands wit7iess pun- 
ishrnent / " He was to be hanged at the fore yard-arm, 
and a line was led in from the end of the yard to the 
slings, where it was riven through a block, and ten 
32-pound shot were attached to it, and a line rove 
through the same block that held the shot, which 
came down, and was drawn across the muzzle of No. 
1 gun, so that when the gun was fired it would cut 
the line, letting the weight down and carrying the 
man up. 

Jackson was brought up from the berth-deck with 
his arms tied to his side. The captain was on deck, 
with tears in his eyes and the death-warrant in his 
hand. Jackson walked up before him, and locked 
him straight in the eye while he was reading the 
warrant. •He was a noble specimen of manhood ; in 
height about five feet ten inches, dark hair and eyes, 



44 LIFE AFLOAT. 

and weighed one hundred and ninety pounds. He 
had been below so long that the tan had faded from 
his cheeks. We hoisted signals that all was ready, 
and every eye was on the Hag-ship, expecting to see 
a signal for reprieve. The answer camq that the 
execution was to proceed. After the death-sentence 
was read to him Jackson went to the main fife-rail, 
and said : " Shipmates, I will pray for you all." 
I think there was no prayer ever offered up so 
effective as that which he made. There was not a 
dry eye in the ship. When he had finished, he said, 
— "I am ready," walked forward, and took his place 
on the platform over the gun. He was as calm as 
death, and remained so as the noose was placed 
about his neck and the cap drawn over his eyes. 
His last words were " God have mercy on my soul ! " 
the oun was fired, and he was in eternity. His 
body was placed in a coffin and buried on Green 
Island, from wdiich it was taken tw^o years later 
to the States, in a schooner sent from New York, 
where it was claimed as that of the son of an Irish 
duke, Jackson being merely his ^' purser " name. 

There was a gloom that hung over our ship for 
days after the execution. It did not appear like the 
same ship. The men seemed morose, and I think 
the officers were alarmed at their appearance wlien 
they came forward. After dark they invariably 
took lanterns with them. 

There came rumors of changes both on shore and 



LIFE AFLOAT. 45 

sea : that Gen, Scott was coming to take Vera Cruz, 
and Com. Perry to take charge of the fleet. We 
received orders to be ready to go up the* coast to 
Cape Roxo, Lobos Island. Gen. Scott's army was 
to be landed on Lobos Inland for discipline. This 
island is in lat. 21^ 26' N., Ion. 16^ 45' W. of 
Vera Cruz. From the north side a great rocky 
shoal extends, which leaves a strait of only three 
miles width between it and Blanquilla. In the 
middle of this strait is a shoal, which requires the 
utmost caution in passing through. To the south- 
west of Lobos there is an excellent anchorage, well 
sheltered from the northers, which requires no par- 
ticular instructions to reach. It was here that the 
transports came with the troops, and where we had 
orders to go. When we arrived at Lobos there 
were two ships with troops, and another arrived 
several hours later with surf-boats stowed in the 
hold. We went on board to help hoist the boats 
out. The deck-frame was sawed off, with a level 
edge all round, and bolts passed through to hold the 
planks in their places. We had to erect purchases 
to hoist the decks up in sections in order to get the 
boats out, which were very large, each designed to 
carry a hundred men. i ^it^ these the troops 
were landed on the island. Sappers and miners 
were sent ahead to clear up the ground, which was 
all covered with bushes, and as they made room the 
soldiers began to pitch their tents. Our ship's com- 



46 LIFE AFLOAT. 

pany continLied to land the troops and stores until it 
began to look like an army camp, with a nice parade- 
ground cleared away for drilling. Two more ships 
arrived during the day, and we had all we could do 
day and night to discharge them. Two ships left in 
the meantime for New Orleans. Six remained and 
two more were expected. 

One night about this time the sentry hailed a 
boat that was coming towards the ship. The crew 
replied that they were shipwrecked sailors. They 
came on board and reported that they had been 
wrecked about twenty miles to the north. Their 
ship had run on shore with one hundred and forty 
soldiers and sixty tons of powder and other munitions 
of war on board. The ship's boats had landed the 
soldiers, on the beach, with their arms and tents, and 
they had come down to Lobos for help. They were 
afraid the Mexicans Avould board the ship and 
plunder her if we did not get there soon. So we 
got under way and took a schooner, with one hun- 
dred and fifty riflemen on board, and started. 

At 10 A.M. we sighted the ship, stern on to the 
beach, with all sail set. We came to anchor about 
one mile from her, and could see tents on the 
beach with quite a number of men about them. 
Some were on horses on the hills back of the beach 
armed with lances. We hoisted out the launch and 
put the 12-pounder in her, well loaded with grape, 
and rowed for the ship, which was about one hun- 



LIFE AFLOAT. 47 

dred yards from shore. We could not see any of 
our soldiers, and we expected they were all prisoners 
or had heen killed. It was very smooth on the 
beach, and we rowed alongside the ship and went on 
board. They began to fire at us from the shore, 
and Mr. Kennedy went up to the main-top, with his 
glass, to see if our soldiers were anywhere in sight. 
They commenced firing at him, when he ordered us 
to drop the launch under the stern and give them a 
taste of grape. As soon as the Mexicans saw the 
tarpaulin hauled off the gun they began to run to 
the hills. The men on the schooner were wild to go 
on shore and have a hack at them, but the oflftcers 
thought it best not to do so, as we wanted to find 
out where the soldiers were. 

After Mr. Kennedy came down he ordered us to 
get all the oil and spirits we would find on board, 
turn it on the sails and about the decks and set 
her on fire. This we did, and she began to burn 
pretty lively. We returned to the boat, and, hoist- 
ing a flag of truce, rowed to the shore. In a few 
minutes a man with a white flag came to the boat. 
We bad an interpreter, who asked the man where 
the soldiers were who came on shore. He replied 
that they had gone to Tampico the night before. 
He said there was a sick soldier in one of the tents 
and we had better take him along. So he was 
taken to the boat and we carried him to the ship. 
All this time the ship was burning briskly, and we 



48 LIFE AFLOAT. 

hurried away before the fire should reach the 
powder. We rode to our ship, hoisted in the 
launch, weighed anchor, made sail, and worked off 
shore away from the burning ship. At 5.30 P.M. 
she blew up. It was a grand sight. One mast 
went into the air fully one hundred feet ; and she 
went all to atoms. The ship hailed from Bath, and 
I think her name was the "Acapulco." We re- 
turned to Lobos Island, where were encamped 
thirteen thousand men. 

A few days after, the fleet came up from Yera Cruz 
to take Tampico, consisting of ships " Princeton," 
" Saratoga," "Portsmouth," "Karitan," "Potomac," 
and "Spitfire" and "Vixen" gun-boats. Our ship 
joined the fleet, and all immediately sailed for Tam- 
pico, off which they arrived next morning. Only three 
of the steam gun-boats were to go in, as there was not" 
water enough, and the large ships sent their boats, 
well equipped. The " Princeton " took lead, with the 
" Spitfire " and " Vixen " in line, with all the ship's 
boats, containing some three hundred men, made fast 
alongside. When all was ready we started, and, as 
we neared the Bar, the "Princeton" fired her big 
gun, loaded with shell, which landed on the shore 
but awakened no reply. We had to pass a battery 
of thirteen guns, and expected that we should have 
to storm it before the gun-boats could pass. As 
we drew near, all eyes were upon it, expecting to 
receive a broadside. The big gun was trained upon 




LIFE AFLOAT. 49 



it, but when we came close to it there were neither 
guns nor men to be seen in the fort, and we steamed 
up by it without a shot. A short distance above we 
were met by the authorities with a flag of truce, 
who surrendered the town without firing a gun. 
We went up abreast of the town and came to anchor. 
The three gun-boats that we had tried to cut out 
were lying there all stripped, with no sails bent and 
no guns mounted. Our boat made for one of them, 
and the officers sent on shore for the sails, which 
were speedily sent oflp. We bent them, and remained 
on board that night. We found, next morning, 
her armament hidden away up the river, which we 
mounted again, and then took the vessel out to the 
fleet ; from there it was sent down to Vera Cruz. 

The fleet was ordered back to Lobos Island to 
reembark the troops for Vera Cruz. We arrived 
at the island next morning, and the troops gave us 
three cheers as we came to anchor. They were 
eager and anxious to be at the front. The boats of 
all the ships were hoisted out to convey the men on 
board. The ships, with the surf-boats, had been 
ordered to Vera Cruz, to be in readiness to land the 
troops, and we were eager to get them on their way 
in time. We were to tjommence at midnight, and 
the men went to their tents at dark to rest until 
that hour. At twelve the drums began to beat the 
retreat, and at the same time the boatswains and 
their mates, on all the ships, were piping up all 



50 LIFE AFLOAT. 

hands. In a very short time the boats were ready 
and sent to the island, which was quite near. It 
was fun to the bhie-jackets to seethe soldiers tumble 
in and out of the boats. Each ship was to take all 
that was prudent, but still we were to take the whole 
thirteen thousand. By daylight we had them all on 
board, and the island was deserted by the living; 
but there were a few left, who will remain till the 
last summons shall call " All hands ! " 

As soon as the confusion had subsided we got 
under way and made all sail for Anton Lizardo, four 
miles south-east of Vera Cruz. We had about forty 
miles to run, with a J^esh north-east breeze blow- 
incr. At seven-bells we were piped to breakfast, 
with one thousand men added to our ship's company ; 
but there was enough for all. The soldiers liked 
the change very much. At 10.30 we made the 
castle of St. Juan de Ulloa, and at 12 M. we came 
to anchor. 

The ships had all arrived with the troops in good 
trim, having on board our new commodore, Perry, 
and Gen. Scott. This was the 9th of March, 1847, 
a most important day. The weather was exceed- 
ingly fine, with a light breeze from the north-east and 
no't a ripple on the beach. At 1 P.M. the boats 
were manned by the blue-jackets, and the troops 
were ordered ashore. It was a pleasant sight to see. 
Everything moved like clock-work, without con- 
fusion, the men in the best of spirits, and all wanting 




LIFE AFLOAT. 



51 



to land first. As we drew near the shore, so eag-er 
were they, they would jump overboard, with the 
water up to their waists', holding their guns over 
their heads to keep them dry. They were all landed, 
without a mishap, about four miles from the castle 
and city, the task completed at 6 P.M. A few 
lances could be seen around the sand-hills, but the 
troops were not molested who slept on the beach all 
night. 

The United States flag was planted on the shore 
in full view of the castle and city, and appearances 
indicated a brisk time in a few days. War material 
and provisions were landed by the ships' companies, 
and the gunboats " Vixen " and '^ Spitfire " went up 
to the castle to reconnoitre. As they steamed up 
towards the castle the Mexicans opened fire upon 
them, the shot striking all around them. Capt. 
Tatnal, of the " Spitfire," returned the fire, and hove 
several shells into the city. The Mexicans fired 
upon the gun-boats with all the guns that could be 
brouglit to bear, and it was quite amusing as well as 
exciting to see the gun-boats lying there with the 
shot and shell falling around them, until the commo- 
dore hoisted signals for them to return. 

Gen. Scott had a battery erected in the rear of 
the city, which was to be the naval battery, and we 
had orders to dismount No. 7 gun (the one that I 
was captain of) to be sent on shore. This was to 
be followed by eight other guns from our ship, and 



52 LIFE AFLOAT. 

each ship of the eight composing the fleet was to 
send a 64-pound siege-gun to the naval battery, 
with thirty men to each gun../ The crew of each gun 
on shipboard is fifteen, so we took the crew of No. 
8 to add to that of No. 7, — thirty in all. John 
Harrington was first captain of No. 8, Jack Savage, 
second, and William Dority second of No. 7, which 
I had charge of. When the battery was ready for 
the guns we took one of the surf-boats alongside, 
hoisted the gun up and lowered it into the boat. It 
was very rough on the beach, so we took a coil of 
rigging and a 50-pound anchor, and, rowing in back 
of the breakers, we let go anchor and gave way for 
the beach, paying away on the line. This was to 
enable us to haul the boat off again. W^e landed all 
right, but the large wheels employed in transferring 
cannon to places wliere they can be used would not 
go over our boat, so Mr. Kennedy called for an axe 
with which we cut a hole in her side. A rope was 
bent on to the wheels, and by the strength of fifteen 
hundred men the gun was drawn through the open- 
ing. With the broadside of our boat cut away, we 
had to take another, in order to get on board. They 
were twenty-four hours in dragging that gun through 
the sand to the battery, causing the death of several 
mules. The guns were mounted before we were 
ordered to man them. 

After the guns were mounted and everything 
x^Yy we went on shore, and while marching up 



LIFE AFLOAT. 53 

to the battery, met our grand old commander, Gen. 
WinfieM Scott. He was alone, and we formed in 
two lines, uncovered our heads, and gave him three 
rousing cheers. He was mounted on an iron-gray 
horse, and as he gained the centre of the lines 
he stopped, then taking oiF his military hat to wipe 
his brow, he said : " Seamen of the American navy, 
you are about to man the guns that are to breach 
the walls of Vera Cruz. I have all confidence that 
you will show the nation that sailors can fight as 
well on land as on the sea. Show them that the 
spirit of '76 and 1812 inspires you to-day, and if we 
have to storm the city you shall have the honor of 
leading the stormers." 

We arrived at the battery in the afternoon and 
found everything ready for action. Our battery 
was placed in front of a long hill that runs in from 
the country, and when about seventeen hundred 
yards *from the city, drops off quite steep to the 
plain below. The cemetery was in front of us, and 
a few shops and dwelling-houses, but we being so 
high our shots would pass over them. Chaparral was 
placed around our battery to hide it from the enemy. 
Everything was quiet, and no one was allowed to 
mount the s^nd-bags, though we could see the Mexi- 
cans in their batteries. Our guns were run into the 
embrasures and concealed with sand-bags and chap- 
arral. As the evening drew near and everything 
was ready, the guns all shotted and guards set for 



54 LIFE AFLOAT. 

the night, we threw ourselves down upon the 
sand-bags for a little rest or sleep, and, as we closed 
our eyes, the thought ran through our minds that 
this mio-ht be the last night on earth for some of us, 
for in the morning we were to open with all the big 
guns upon the wall andlfbrtifications of Vera Cruz 
and the castle of St. Juan de Ulloa. As our eyes 
closed in slumber we were carried in dreams back 
to our boyhood's home, again to feel the warm hand 
of our mother on our head, giving us her l^lessing, 
and brothers, sisters, friends were again around us 
in the happy light of our boyhood's days. 

Our slumbers and dreams were dissolved by the 
report of a heavy gun and the whiz of a shot over 
our heads. The word was given to clear away the 
battery. The enemy had discovered us. In a 
very few minutes the chaparral and bags of sand 
were removed from the embrasures, the men, 
stripped to their waists, each at his station v, aiting 
the word to fire. The enemy had opened from all 
his batteries, the shot flying over our heads as thick 
as hailstones, plunging into the sand-banks in the 
rear of our gun and rolling down. At 5 A.M. the 
order was given to open the ball with our battery 
of eight guns with solid shot. There were some 
three hundred guns directed at us. About 10 A.M. 
Gen. Scott and staif, Com. Perry, and other officers 
of the army and navy were in our battery. The 
Commodore wanted to see how the boys were getting 



LIFE AFLOAT. 55 

along. Gen. Scott told the officer of our division 
that if he had to storm the place he should take 
one thousand sailors to lead the stormers. The 
officer asked his reason. "Why," said the General, 
" they will all fight on their own hook." 

The Mexicans began to get a better range, and 
their shot came very near our heads. We made 
every one of our shots tell. We were called to 
direct our aim at the walls of the city. We could 
see the fragments of stone fly in every direction 
where the shot struck, the stone being a soft coral. 
As I was captain of the gun part of the time the 
boys would say, " Give that steeple a shot," and if 
tEe" officer in command was not looking I would 
please them. The pieces could be seen to fly, which 
the boys greatly enjoyed. Our gun began to get 
very hot, and it required two men, with swabs, to 
cool it off. Before noon we had silenced a number 
of their guns. At 12 A.M. a part of the gun's 
crew got their rations of salt-pork and hard-tack, 
which was all they had. About 4 P.M. Midship- 
man Shubrick was killed by a round shot, his head 
taken completely off. His father, the commander 
of one of the squadron, was in the battery at the 
time, and it was a sad blow for him. The young 
man was a very promising officer. Shortly after a 
seaman belonging to United States steamer, " Sara- 
toga," was killed. At 6 P.M. we ceased firing until 
Gen. Worth continued the bombardment, 



56 LIFE AFLOAT. 

with his mortars phmted a little to the north of us, 
and his shells were in the air all night. Nothing 
disturbed the slumbers of our men in the battery 
before morning. Their dreams of war were inter- 
spersed with glimpses of home, — of mothers fondly 
blessing their children, and fathers enjoining upon 
their sons to discharge their duty like true American 
seamen. Alas ! such dreams were broken by the 
sound of drum and fife beating to quarters. As we 
mustered at the gun we saw that the Mexicans had 
filled up tlie breaches in their walls with bags of 
sand, which the boys said they would knock the 
stufiSng out of in a short time. 

Jliere was a brisk norther blowing, and it was 
quite cold, but the boys did not mind it, peeling 
off everything except their pants. They ate their 
pork and bread in silence, thinking that this 
might be their last meal. It was for two of my 
shipmates. I had fired fifteen rounds and had 
loaded the gun, put on the cap, and taken the lock- 
string in my hand, when t^ other captain came 
behind me to take my place". '^ I stepped back as 
he received the string from me, and at that instant a 
shot came into the embrasure, striking the top of 
the lock, and driving it through the head of James 
McGinness, the crow and handspike man, and 
entered the breast of Jack Harrison, taking away 
one-half of it. We removed the bodies and covered 
them over with canvas. For six hours we made the 



LIFE AFLOAT. 57 

shot fly, breaclnng tlie enemy's walls, dismantling 
their guns, and shooting away their flag-staff on 
every fort. One poor fellow, with more bravery than 
discretion, raised a flag-staff and held it up. A shot 
from our gun cut the flag-staif and the man each in 
two pieces, and the staff was not raised again. At 
5 P.M. we ceased firing for the night. 
V After we had rested we began to have some fun. 
But fun, no more than work, can be well done upon 
an empty stomach, and so some of the men went out 
into thQ chaparral to procure something for supper. 
They brought in a bullock, which we knocked in the 
head, took the hide off\ and the carcass was hung on 
a pole, over a huge fire, to roast. After it had 
roasted a while each one would walk up to it, cut a 
piece off with his sabre and devour it. After all 
hands had satisfied hunger the boys went out again 
and returned with several donkeys, upon which they 
prepared to ride. They felt elated with their prize, 
and, in order to amuse the officers, performed a 
good many pranks. One got a log of wood and a 
rope and went through the manoeuvre of mooring a 
ship. He would put the animal under headway, 
then heave o^ er his log, that served as anchor, pay 
out his scope, and bring him up all standing. An- 
other old sailor mounted one, getting as far back as 
he could, and an officer asked him why he seated 
himself so far aft. 

" This ship," was the reply, " is the first I ever 



58 LIFE AFLOAT. 

commanded, and I shall take charge of the quarter- 
deck as long as there is a timber-head left." 

He performed some amusing tricks for the benefit 
of all hands, and it was dark before the sport was 
ended. As the darkness fell around us we sought 
the rest needed for the morrow's renewal of strife, 
and throwing ourselves upon the sand, with the 
heavens for a canopy, we all slept soundly until we 
were awakened by firing of the pickets. The alarm 
was given from a supposition that the Mexicans 
were about making a sortie. We each made a rush 
for our gun, to protect it if they undertook to 
capture and spike it. The alarm was general. 
The drums beat to quarters, and we could hear the 
tramp of our soldiers in response to orders of the 
officers. From under and on the walls of the city 
we could hear the sounds of bugles and the barking 
of dogs, attended with discharges of musketry. In 
the meantime the soldiers had arrived at our bat- 
tery, and found that the blue-jackets had formed 
around their guns, with every man at his post, the 
guns loaded with grape and canister, ready for any 
emergency. While thus waiting, a man on horse- 
back dressed all in white leaped his horse over 
the top of our battery and down on the platform. 
He looked like the Evil One dressed in lawn. He 
had on a woman's night-dress, and a three-cornered 
cap on his head, — a most unique and striking figure.! 
He proved to be one of those reckless, hair-brained 



LIFE AFLOAT. 59 

fellows who are always in mischief, and fear nothing 
above or below. He had caused the alarm. While 
the boys were amusing themselves in the evening 
he had stolen out by the pickets and gone on a raid- 
ing expedition among the houses in the suburbs of 
the city, raising considerable plunder. He then 
had ventured under the walls of the city and appro- 
priated a splendid horse, on which he had returned 
to the battery. Our pickets took alarm at his 
approach, with the result described. When first 
seen he was on a full gallop, with his white night- 
dress streamino^ out behind. He belono^ed to the 
United States ship "Potomac." Quiet was soon re- 
stored, and we again laid ourselves to rest that he had 
deprived us of. As the dawn made its appearance 
we were aroused from our slumbers, and, after par- 
taking of our rations of pork and bread, we went to 
our gun and waited for orders. 

This was the third day of the bombardment, and 
we were waiting for the Mexicans to open fire. We 
could see men in the batteries that had not been 
rendered useless, but at 8 A.M. word came that a 
flao: of truce w^as out neo^otiatino- for a surrender of 
the city and castle. The parties came to terms in 
the afternoon under which the Mexican soldiers 
were to march out, stack their arms, and agree not 
to take arms again during the war, the officers to 
retain their side-arms. They were to evacuate the 
city the next day, and our army and navy were to 



60 LIFE AFLOAT. 

form a square, to witness their surrender. This was 
done, and the army, under Scott, and the navy, 
under Perry, marched down to the western gate, 
from which in a short time the troops came march- 
ing out and stacked their guns. A large nun^er of 
women and children came with them who were half- 
starved, and the sailors gave them all the bread they 
had in their haversacks. As they marched away we 
all marched in, and hoisted the stars and stripes 
over the city and castle of San Juan de Ulloa. 

After seeing our flag thus flung to the breeze we 
all went below to explore the dungeons at the bot- 
tom of the castle. They were horrible-looking 
places, and in most of them were ring-bolts with 
chains attached. In one very filthy and loathsome 
dungeon were the bones of some poor wretch who 
had died with shackles on his ankles and wrists. AYe 
did not stay long amid such scenes as these, but left 
for Vera Cruz, the place where the boats from the 
ships landed. We arrived there as the sun was 
sinking behind the hills. It was "blowing great 
guns " from the north, and no boats could land on 
the beach at this place. The supplies for the army 
were stored here, and we asked the oflftcer in charge 
if he had any place where we could find shelter for 
the night. His answer was : — 

"Heave ahead, my lads !. I have a large bedroom 
that has a very soft carpet on the floor." 

In a short time we came to an enclosure formed 




LIFE AFLOAT. 61 



of pork barrels, about forty ^aet square and eight 
feet high, with an entrance on one side, the promised 
" carpet " a flooring of very fine sand. 

" There, boys ! " said the officer who had accom- 
panied us, " that is the best I can do for you." 

We thanked him, and each began to make his 
bed by scooping out a place in the sand to lie in. 
We hove down our overcoats for a pillow, the boat- 
swain's mate piped " down," and in a few moments we 
were in the arms of Morpheus. We slept as soundly 
as we would in our hammocks on board the ship. 

The sun was up before we heard the boatswain's 
mate pipe calling all hands to " Up hammocks ! " 
The gale had moderated, and the sea had gone down, 
but it was only with great care that the boats could 
land before 10 o'clock. We took our breakfast of 
raw pork and hard bread, and after that indulged in 
a stroll upon the beach to pass away the time till the 
boats should come and take us off to the ships, which 
lay a mile and a half from shore. About half-past 
9 we saw the boats lowered away and manned, 
and at 10 o'clock they landed at the beach. We all 
tumbled in and were transferred to the ships. Our 
shipmates on board were glad to give us the sailor's 
grip, which we as gladly returned. We had a mel- 
ancholy story to tell them of those we had laid away 
in the sand, who were deeply missed. Jack Har- 
rington was a true son of the ocean, and was 
beloved by all his shipmates. I have made many in- 



62 LIFE AFLOAT. 

quiries to find some one of his family, in Maine ; but 
in vain. He came from the eastern part of the State. 
James McGinness, the other one belonging to our 
ship that was killed, was also a good man, and much 
liked by his shipmates. No one knew w^here he be- 
lono-ed. He came on board in a draft of men from 
New Orleans. 

The usual routine of the ship was resumed : ex- 
ercising at the guns, sails, and spars, and now and 
then, for variety, some man would get a dozen lashes 
for insubordination or disobedience. Man-o'-war 
duty in war time is no holiday amusement. 

Gen. Scott and his army immediately started on 
their march to the city of Mexico, and we had news 
about every day of their progress. Their first battle 
after leaving Vera Cruz was that of Cerra Gordo. 
This was succeeded in quick succession by the 
battles of Contreras, Cherubuso, Molino del Rey, and 
Chepultepec. The news came rapidly announcing 
these victories, and when the report was made that 
the stars and stripes were waving proudly over the 
walls of the Montezumas the ships fired a salute of 
twenty-one guns. On the morning previous to the 
salute the order was given to the quarter-gunners to 
draw the shot from the guns, but by some mistake 
the shot was left in No. 9, starboard side of our 
ship. There was a schooner lying on our beam, 
about five hundred yards off, having a deck-load of 
mules, with a barricade on which two men were 



SSs? 



LIFE AFLOAT. 63 

seated. The shot from No. 9 passed between their 
leofs and killed two mules. For this mistake the 
quarter-gunner was broken and lost his billet. 

A few days after this event it was noised about 
the ship that we were to be ordered home. We did 
not pay much attention to the report till one morn- 
ing in the latter part of April, 1848, we were 
aroused from our sleep by the boatswain and his 
mates calling all hands to " up anchor " for the 
United States ! Of all the jumping and springing 
on a berth-deck this was never surpassed. In the 
short time of fifteen minutes the anchor was on the 
bow and every yard of canvas spread to the breeze. 
As we left, all the ships manned their rigging and 
gave us three cheers. 

It must be imagined how we felt, with the pros- 
pect of home before us, after three years of buffeting 
with the sea and encounter with the enemy, with 
merely one day's liberty for ourselves in all that 
time. Those who have been absent from their 
homes for years can tell how we felt. I had not 
been home for five years, and had heard from there 
but once since leaving. There were those, besides, 
who had not been home since their boyhood, that 
were past fifty years. Jack Savage said to me on 
the passage that he would like to see his old home 
once more. It was eighteen years, he said, since 
he had seen his old mother, and his eyes moistened 
as he spoke the word " mother." 



64 LIFE AFLOAT. 

"Jack," said I, "I will not part company with you 
till your yards are squared for home port." 

"Well, Jim," he replied, "you have been a kind 
shipmate to me, and have got me out of many a 
scrape while I have been on my beam-ends with 
drink." 

" Well, Jack," said I, " I will still be your friend ; 
but you must promise to give me your money to 
keep, when you are paid off, until you are within 
hailing distance of home, and only drink when I do. 
If you can do that there will be no trouble, and you 
will reach home on an even keel." 

" With God's help," he said, " I will do so." 

We had a very pleasant passage home, and in 
five days after leaving Vera Gruz we made the 
Island of Guba. At 6 P.M., the first day of May, 
we tacked ship in sight of Moro Gastle, with a 
pleasant breeze from the east, bound for Gape 
Henry, off which we arrived on the 10th. It was 
foggy in the morning, and the ship was hove to, a 
gun being fired for a pilot. In a short time the fog 
lifted, and the pilot-boat was seen close aboard of 
us. The pilot came on board, when all sail was 
made for Norfolk, Va., and after passing Fortress 
Monroe a steam-tug came to tow us up. We clewed 
up sails and handed them, sent down top-gallant 
and royal yards, and at 5 P.M. came to anchor off 
the city of Norfolk. Our ship was soon surrounded 
by boats from the shore, manned by white and black 



LIFE AFLOAT. 65 

crews, to see their friends, that left there three 
years before. Most of our officers belonged in the 
State of Virginia, the captain's residence in full sight 
from the ship. It was sad for him, on his return, 
to learn thgt one of his children had been laid away 
during his absence. Like sadness awaited many of 
us on returning to our homes. Death is no re- 
specter of persons or conditions, — the rich and the 
poor alike are open to the common fate. Some of 
my shipmates received letters from home, part with 
good news and part with bad, relating how mothers, 
fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends had yielded to 
the destroyer. Some weather-worn old salt would 
be seen stowed away between the guns, holding a 
sheet of paper in his trembling hands, and reading 
with dimming eyes the account of some dear friend 
who had moored ship for the last time. We re- 
spected his emotion, while our own eyes watered in 
sympathy as we passed by him in his solitary grief. 
We were to wait at Norfolk until we should 
receive orders from Washington. ISText morning 
after our arrival a number of black women came on 
board to gQi "boarders," that is, to supply us with 
meals from the shore. We stopped all our ship's 
rations and our meals were brought to us. It was 
nice to have the change from sea to land food and 
cookery, after having partaken of the former so long, 
and w^e greatly enjoyed it. Jack Savage and myself 
boarded with a black woman who supplied us with 



6Q LIFE AFLOAT. 

splendid fare. I give her bill of fare for one day : 
baked ducks, green peas and vegetables, with a 
dessert of ice-cream , — a banquet with which hungry 
sailors might well be satisfied. After lying here a 
week an order came to go to the yard, strip ship, 
and pay oiF the men. We hauled alongside the 
wharf at 8 A.M., May 18, 1848, and by 12 o'clock 
she was thoroughly stripped, with shot, shells, 
water-tanks, and everything in the hold removed, 
a coat of whitewash inside from stem to stern, con- 
cluding the operation. At 2 P.M. the paymaster 
came on board, and by 3.30 all hands had their 
pay. 

Every one was happy to receive his money, and 
bags and hammocks were flying about in every di- 
rection. Jack and I paid our board to the black 
woman, amounting to $4. Then we tumbled our 
bags into a boat alongside and stepped in ourselves, 
intending to go to Norfolk from the navy-yard. 
A large schooner lay in the stream, bound to New 
York, and we found that she wanted twenty-five 
passengers. The chance was too good to be lost, 
and so we boarded her, and formed a part of the 
number. The whole list was. soon completed, and 
she sailed for New York. Jack had kept his word 
reo^ardinsr drinkino^, and had not been drunk since 
our agreement. There was no liquor on board, and 
I felt little anxiety about him, but dreaded his 
arrival in New York. We made the passage in 



LIFE AFLOAT. 67 

two days, arriving on Monday morning. He gave 
me no trouble, and putting our baggage upon the 
sound steamer, left New York at 4 P.M. for Ston- 
ington. *Jack was all right, and I think he felt 
proud that he could withstand the temptation that 
beset him on every hand. 

We arrived the next day in Boston, and in going 
down Hanover street Jack met his elder brother, 
the captain of a schooner just ready to sail for home. 
Here we shook hands and bade each other good-by. 
The last words that Jack said was : " I will keep my 
promise to you." I heard from him after his return 
home, and when, some fifteen years later, I met 
him, he was master of a fine vessel, and a steady and 
honorable man. 

After leaving Jack in Boston I took the train for 
my home in the State of Maine. As I arrived at my 
mother's door I rapped, and she opened it. She 
looked wonderingly at my bronzed face, and said, 
"Who is it?" — "Mother," said I, "don't you know 
your boy ? " What followed the reader can judge 
better than I can tell it. 

The foregoing is a record of events occurring 
between 1845 and 1848, written entirely from 
memory in 1884. 



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